The present invention relates to a fluid flow sonic energy reactor and more particularly to a reactor comprising a chamber through which a flow of fluid is subjected to ultrasonic energy.
The treatment of various liquids by ultrasonic energy is well known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,972,614 and 4,134,678 disclose automatic blood analysis apparatus wherein thin samples of blood are spectrophotometrically analyzed to determine such parameters as total hemoglobin, percent oxyhemoglobin, percent carboxyhemoglobin and the like. To accurately determine these parameters the blood must first be hemolyzed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,678 teaches a mechanical hemolyzer which employs a solenoid. U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,614 teaches an instrument wherein the blood is hemolyzed and analyzed in the same tubular chamber. The speed of operation of both of these prior art instruments is limited by the time required to hemolyze the blood.
It is well known that horn resinators can be employed to concentrate ultrasonic energy. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,715,104 and 3,825,481 employ horn resonators to couple ultrasonic energy to the treated fluid which may comprise foods, medicaments, cosmetics and the like. Both of these patents teach sonic energy reactors in which the entire tapered horn resinator projects into a chamber through which flows the fluid being treated. While such sonic energy reactors are suitable for treating large quantities of fluids, they are not suitable for treating small samples such as those encountered in blood analysis apparatus since the blood samples are small. Also, these reactors are difficult to clean with the result that adjacent samples can become cross-contaminated.